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Guardian, May 10, 1999 - Rescue only the start for Francis Martin Thorpe sees Rangers reprieved by a Kiwomya hat-trick-
Large gaps have characterised Queens Park Rangers' season: a debt of
�8.6m, players on �100,000 salaries who are not deemed good enough for
the first team, a share price which has plummeted from 72p to 8p,
memories of being fifth in the Premiership only six years ago. - So
yesterday's win was totally in keeping as Rangers, with a Chris Kiwomya
hat-trick, saved themselves from the ignominy of relegation to the
Second Division in style, albeit on goals scored.- They were aided
in their victory by an inexperienced Crystal Palace side reduced to nine
men by two sendings-off, a fitting end to Palace's season of farce.-
Indeed, this was a classic encounter between two clubs bought by fans
who put heart before head and ended up with their heads in their hands.-
Mark Goldberg overstretched himself and steered Palace on to the rocks
of administration. Chris Wright took over Rangers in 1996 but spent too
much in trying to get them back to the Premiership and was left with
nothing but an empty transfer kitty. 'All my good business principles
went out the window,' he says.- He also admits a mistake in giving
the manager's job to Stewart Houston, then Ray Harford. So now Gerry
Francis, in his second stint in charge, must pick up the pieces, with
little money to spend and well-paid players bought by his pre decessors
sitting on long contracts in the reserves.- But, if there is one
person who can lift this club back to the heights, it is the man who
took them there in the first place. The spirit Rangers showed yesterday
was totally characteristic of Francis teams.- He returned in
November with Rangers bottom of the table. He was shocked at the mess he
found but convinced he could do something about it. 'I'd been here 17
years as a player and manager and the club means a lot to me,' he said
yesterday.- Now he will apply his undoubted talent-spotting skills
to improving the squad. 'Ultimately I want to get us back in the
Premiership.''- The midfielder George Kulcsar opened the scoring
with a 20-yard volley and Kiwomya added the second, shooting against the
post and heading in the rebound.- Three minutes after the interval
Palace's Chinese midfielder Fan Zhiyi was sent off for pushing the
referee, and a mistake by Palace's keeper Kevin Miller gave Kiwomya the
chance for his second on 57 minutes.- Tony Scully made it four with a
volley 20 minutes later, then Palace were reduced to nine men when
David Woozley pulled back Scully. Kiwomya's penalty was saved but Tim
Breacker bundled in the rebound, and Kiwomya completed his hat-trick
five minutes from time from close range.- Four thousand fans were
locked out but those inside went delirious at Rangers' salvation.
Francis was more reserved. 'The real job starts tomorrow.' Guardian

Irish Examiner - Francis already mapping out future for QPR after great escapeQPR 6 - Crystal Palace 0QPR boss Gerry Francis may have saved his team from relegation to the Second Division but he is not resting on his laurels.The
Loftus Road chief is relieved that his side's 6-0 win against Crystal
Palace on the last day of the season guaranteed First Division football
in West London next season.But Francis said: "My job starts
tomorrow. It's all very well celebrating today but we shouldn't be
celebrating avoiding relegation, we want to be up in the promotion race."It's
going to be a slow process because we can't compete in the transfer
market, so we have to bring the kids through and find players in the
non-leagues who'll do a job because I don't want another season like
this one."The first job that Francis will face will be to persuade
out of contract players Chris Kiwomya and Gavin PeaC*** to stay at the
club."We haven't been able to negotiate because of our position. If
we had gone down we may not have been able to afford them and we may
also have had to let other players go. Hopefully any money available
will come to me but it is not going to be millions of pounds."QPR
guaranteed their First Division survival in spectacular style as Kiwomya
scored a hat-trick. Palace, who managed only one shot on target,
finished with nine men after having Fan Zhiyi and David Woozley sent off
in a blistering second half.Rangers, on a run of five consecutive
defeats, looked jittery at the start of this vital game but they grabbed
an early goal to steady their nerves.On eight minutes a clever move
involving Kiwomya and Keith Rowland saw the ball cleared to the edge of
the Palace area. George Kulcsar waited patiently for the ball to come
down before thumping a superb shot into the top corner with Palace
keeper Kevin Miller watching in admiration.Palace, with nothing to
play for, found themselves overwhelmed by hungry Rangers and the home
side should have added to their lead.Two minutes before half time
Miller was at fault as Rangers deservedly made it 2-0. A huge goal kick
by Ludek Miklosko saw Miller dawdle on his line and Kiwomya took full
advantage, getting to the ball first and after hitting the post he
headed in the rebound.Palace's token resistance all but ended three
minutes after the break when they were reduced to 10 men. They conceded a
foul on the edge of their own box and as midfielder Fan Zhiyi protested
he seemed to push the referee and was immediately sent off.Rangers
went for the kill and on 56 minutes they made it 3-0 when Tony Scully's
free kick was bodied on by Slade and after an almighty scramble forced
over the line by Kiwomya.Palace were in freefall and Rangers were beginning to revel in the open spaces all over the park.Scully
made it four on 76 minutes when he latched on to Andy Linighan's nod
down to thump an unstoppable shot into the top corner. And six minutes
later Palace went down to nine men when Woozley was dismissed after
pulling down Scully as he was about to tap in to an empty net.-
Kiwomya was given the chance of his hat-trick from the spot but his
effort was blocked by Miller only for Tim Breacker to follow up and
score.Still QPR weren't finished. Three minutes later Scully crossed
to Kiwomya whose first header was saved, his second effort hit the
post, before he completed his hat-trick with his third chance to make it
6-0.- Rowland hit a post, Kevin Gallen had another effort just wide
and the Rangers fans, so tense before kick off, were hailing their team
as if they had won the championship by the end.

QPR OFFICIAL SITE RANGERS CLINCH SAFETY WITH STYLE

Just
when Rangers needed to put in a gutsy do or die show to stay in
Division One, they turned on a masterclass show and hit London
neighbours Crystal Palace for six, to safely avoid the dreaded drop.Star of the sow was Chris Kiwomya who bagged a hat-trick and could have finished with even more.

Palace,
who had two men sent off, simply fell apart after George Kulscar
settled early nerves with a sweet volley in the eigth minute, to pur
Rangers in front. But even the most optimistic R's fans wouldn't have dreamt what would follow, as Gerry Francis's side went on to grab the glory.

In front of a sell out crowd, QPR's early goal gave R's the confidence and the belief that this was to be their day.

On
eight minutes a clever move involving Chris Kiwomya and Keith Rowland
saw the ball cleared to the edge of the Palace area. George Kulcsar
waited for the ball drop before thumping a superb shot into the top
corner with Palace keeper Kevin Miller a spectator.

Rangers
should have added to their lead, Gavin PeaC*** going very close, but two
minutes before half time Miller was at fault as Rangers deservedly made
it 2-0.

A massive punt by Ludek Miklosko saw Miller hesitate on
his line and Chris Kiwomya took full advantage, getting to the ball
first and after hitting the post he calmly headed in the rebound.

After
the break Palace were reduced to 10 men and it looked as though it was
R's day Palace conceded a foul on the edge of their own box and as
midfielder Fan Zhiyi protested he seemed to push the referee and was
immediately sent off.

R's then pressed forward and on 56 minutes
they made it 3-0 when Tony Scully's free kick was bodied on by Slade
and after an almighty scramble forced over the line by Kiwomya.

Scully
then made it four on 76 minutes when he latched on to Andy Linighan's
nod down to thump an unstoppable shot into the top corner, as Palace
fell apart.

Six minutes later Palace went down to nine men when
Woozley was dismissed after pulling down Scully as he was about to tap
in to an empty net.

Kiwomya was given the chance of his
hat-trick from the spot but his effort was blocked by Miller only for
Tim Breacker to follow up and score.

Three minutes later Scully
crossed to Kiwomya whose first header was saved, his second effort hit
the post, before he completed his hat-trick with his third chance to
make it 6-0.

Late on Rowland hit a post, Kevin Gallen had
another effort just wide and the Rangers faithfull were left to
celebrate the great escape and a chance to now turn corner next season. Gerry
Francis has pledged to stay, Rangers fans will now hope that they can
follow the example of promoted Bradford City, who themselves were so
nearly down and are now in the topflight. Let the rebuliding work commence.

QPR CHAIRMAN CHRIS WRIGHT SPEAKS RANGERS REBORN

A
relieved, ecstatic and triumphant Rangers Chairman Chris Wright, today
promised all QPR fans that the dark days of the last two seasons were
now over and that under the stewardship of Director of Football Gerry
Francis, he fully expects the club to rise from the bottom of Division
One to be challenging for a place in the Premiership next season.

"
It's a huge weight off my shoulders. I didn't want to be the Chairman
who took QPR back to where they were 30 years ago, that would have been
horrible to live with," started Chris Wright.

Although the QPR
Chairman could not give any definite guarantees, he is confident that
the 18,500 who witnessed the great escape from the drop with the
resounding 6-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, would soon be packing
Loftus Road chasing glory rather than last day of the season fears of
relegation. In an exclusive interview for the Official QPR Website,
Chris Wright summed up his feelings now the season was safely over and
his thoughts looking ahead to the future of this famous old club.

"
Happy isn't the word for how I'm feeling," added the QPR supremo. " It
was just fantastic on Sunday. Once we had the game sown up it was like a
part atmosphere, not seen at Loftus Road since we were going for the
Championship in 1975.

"I know people will think it strange to
compare avoiding relegation to Division two with winning the League, but
it was just as important.

" The crowd we had in on Sunday showed
just how big this club can be,when the fans turn up in numbers like
that. We had to disappoint nearly 5000 more supporters, so it makes you
wonder how many we could attract if we were challenging at the other end
of the table.

" This is a great family club and we saw what a
great place Loftus Road can be for people. Sunday was like a rebirth. It
was more than avoiding relegation it was the rebirth of what is and
will be again, a great club."

Now the man handed the task of
restoring glory to West London, Director of Football, Gerry Francis will
have the close season to fine tune the blueprint that he hopes will
have the R's battling for a top spot next season. that work is already
underway. " Gerry's already been on the phone discussing where we go
from here and which players he wants to keep here and which players he
like to try to bring in," continued Chris Wright.

" I know we
will get it right and Gerry is very confident about the future. We now
have the right framework and set up to move forward.

"All our fans and everyone at the club should now forget about the past and look to the future." he added.